Older, Wiser, Stronger
by Sue-Drae
Summary: ABANDONED After being sent back in time by one of Urahara's inventions, post-war Ichigo is forced to attend the Shinigami Academy... with Rukia's class. Continues on. Not a crack fic. IchiRuki
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

First Bleach fic! Woo~

I don't own Bleach

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><p>Urahara Kisuke stood, stretching his tired muscles with a yawn. His most recent project, the latest in a very long line of devices that bordered insanity, stood before him, nearly completed. In the distance, a large cloud of dust rose over the rocky ground of the underground training field below Urahara Shoten.<p>

Urahaha only sighed to himself as Ichigo laughed loudly before shouting out in pain. Orihime giggled when the dust cleared to reveal Rukia sitting on top of the orange-haired shinigami substitute with a bored but highly amused expression on her face.

"You really need to work on your kido," Rukia said, a smile on her face. Ichigo growled, rolling over and sending Rukia towards the ground. The shinigami recovered easily, jumping up and landing on her feet as Ichigo rose to his feet.

Ichigo muttered something to himself that sounded suspiciously like 'Chappie obsessed' but, from the distance, the shop owner couldn't be sure. Turning away from the sparring souls, the shop owner sat beside Yoruichi, staring out at the friends.

"I don't understand why you're spending so much time on that device," Yoruichi stated simply in her cat form's deep voice, glancing towards the now tarp-covered mass. Urahara glanced at it, shrugging.

"Why not? Terribly boring around here," Urahara said quietly, his fan hiding his face as he glanced towards Ichigo.

It was still so surreal- the peace that seemed infallible. The Winter War was won, Aizen defeated by Ichigo- with some help from Zangetsu and Shiro, of course, but defeated nonetheless- and killed. Ichigo and the others were back for their senior year in high school, acting as if nothing had happened. Rukia had resumed her shinigami duties, now as the lieutenant of the 13th Division.

Since the destruction of the Arrancar Invasion and Aizen's forces, most Hollows had either become discouraged or had been purified. The only Hollows to give the shinigami any trouble were the newer generation or the few strong opponents that slipped through the shinigami's attacks- those who believed that they stood a chance against the self-made, rag-tag bunch of reiatsu sensitive teenagers protecting Karakura Town: Kurosaki Ichigo, Uruyu Ishida, Inoue Orihime, Yasutora Sado, and Kuchiki Rukia.

It was… Quiet. So quiet that the former captain of the 12th Division was back to his experiments in an attempt to stem the boredom. So far, his current project was one of his most viable. The only problem with it was that it required ungodly amounts of reiatsu to function. It was so ridiculous that even Ichigo would have problems compensating with the drain. And if the powerhouse that was Kurosaki Ichigo couldn't operate it without risk, there was no practical application for any normal shinigami.

_I'll work on it later,_ Urahara thought to himself, yawning loudly. He nodded to Tessai before ascending the latter to the ground floor, fully intending to go to sleep.

Not long after, Rukia, Orihime, and the others left the training ground, leaving Ichigo alone to train with Shiro and Zangetsu in private.

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><p>An explosion ripped through Urahara Shoten's lower levels. Urahara jolted awake, his hand already moving to his coat and his feet slipping into his geta. He dashed down the halls, quickly joined by Tessai.<p>

He descended into the training ground with a calculated jump, his eyes tracking the thick cloud of dust originating from- _Oh no._

Urahara ran to the site where his device was hidden, a sense of dread settling in his gut. He was yards away from the cloud of dust still hovering in the air when he recognized the thick layer of reiatsu permeating the area.

The reiatsu that was, without a doubt, Ichigo's throbbed around a central point; Urahara went deeper into the bubble of spiritual energy before coming upon his now ruined device. Torn wires and metal were littered around the core of the device: an opaque white crystal surrounded by smooth obsidian. A small symbol, now illegible, was inscribed on the crystal with pale green ink. The crystal, which had been completely smoothed and perfect, now sported a jagged crack down its center.

Seeing the mess and the lack of Ichigo, Urahara rubbed his temple with his free hand, his other still holding Benihime.

"What is it, Boss? Where's Ichigo?" Tessai asked, glancing around. Ururu and Jinta, only now appearing, stared at Urahara. The blond man sighed tiredly.

"Depending on how much reiatsu he released, somewhere around thirty to fifty years ago," he surmised. Yoruichi appeared in a flash of shunpo, studying the scene with apprehension and understanding.

"He found it." It wasn't a question but Urahara nodded. There was a moment's pause and an awkward silence threatened to settle over the group before Yoruichi spoke again.

"I'm not telling Rukia," she decided. Urahara groaned, knowing that he'd be stuck with explaining his latest creation and the reason for Ichigo's disappearance to the female shinigami.

Whatever the outcome, he was definitely going to suffer some serious injuries. Hopefully, someone will pull Rukia off of him before he lost too much blood.

...

The odds weren't looking too good. That is to say, the odds of his survival.

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><p>AN:

This was more of a prologue-ish chapter, so I'm going to update two or three times tonight. While this is my first Bleach fic, I'm pretty confident about it. I've been playing around with it long enough to have a total of... 15 finished chapters, so tell me what you think so far.

Thanks x3

^.^ Susie ^.^


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:

As promised, chapter 2

WARNING: this is the second chapter I've added tonight. If you haven't already, please go back to chapter one and start from there. Thank you~

I don't own Bleach.

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><p>Ichigo groaned painfully as a bright light flooded his eyes. He tried to blink the light away before realizing that his eyelids were already closed.<p>

"I think he's waking up!" a girl's voice shouted excitedly. Ichigo frowned to himself; he _knew_ that voice, but he couldn't quite place it.

"We should have left him," another voice, a guy's, grumbled. This voice was easy to place: Abarai Renji.

_Why is Renji here?_ Ichigo wondered to himself as the girl began to speak again.

"We couldn't have left him there! Look at him!"

_What's wrong with- Ouch, _Ichigo winced, pain suddenly flooding his senses. He must have winced visibly because someone moved closer to him. The person- whoever it was- blocked the light slightly, just enough for Ichigo to open his eyes hesitantly.

Blinking the light away, Ichigo traced two silhouettes against what he now realized was the sun.

"Wh-" Ichigo tried to say before his voice cracked downward, refusing to work. The girl gently dabbed a damp towel over his forehead and he was forced to stifle a gasp.

_Rukia?_ Ichigo looked at her carefully. There was a jug of water close to her that cast a slight shadow against her pink and purple yukata. Renji stood, looking off into the distance with his arms crossed over his chest. _She's not wearing a shihakusho! What did that thing do?_

_**There were many kido warped around that device,**_ a familiar voice stated, drifting through Ichigo's mind.

_Zangetsu,_ Ichigo said, relieved.

_**Those kido… They took us here. Take a good look at Rukia, and Renji as well. The device took us to sometime before they were accepted into the Academy.**_

_Wai- What?_

_**Just go along with it. You don't know them,**_ Zangetsu ordered, his voice layered with finality.

"You're awake!" Rukia smiled, sounding relieved. Ichigo nodded slowly and Renji scowled slightly as he turned to face the other two souls.

"He's just going to slow us down," he said tersely, shifting a small bundle in his arms to a more comfortable position. Ichigo grew a scowl of his own; the majority of Renji's tattoos were nowhere to be seen. Rukia waved the redhead away.

"Where- Where am I?" Ichigo asked, forcing his voice to shake slightly, silently cursing Urahara for getting him into this mess.

"One of the forests in South Rukongai, District 78," Rukia informed him easily, glancing around the trees. Ichigo sat up gingerly, wincing slightly as he took in the damage.

Long burns cut through his shihakusho, damaging it both beyond repair and recognition. The damage extended to his skin, causing severe burns that loosely crisscrossed his chest and trailed down his left arm. His right hand was cut open, the worst damage centered around the spot he had touched the device in Urahara Shoten. He had gotten worse of course, but it still hurt like hell.

Knowing the damage would look really bad to the younger Rukia and Renji; Ichigo exaggerated a wince, hugging his torso with his left arm.

"What happened to you?" Rukia asked gently, carefully resting her hand on his uninjured knee. Ichigo resisted rolling his eyes at her concern. With the Rukia he had known, she'd either tell him to suck it up and keep going or make sure he was in perfect condition; there was no middle ground, not in all the time he had known her.

Ichigo took his time coming up with a lie, pretending to have trouble remembering.

"I- I had a run-in with some older guys. Apparently, I beat up someone's younger brother after he tried to give me a rough time about my hair," Ichigo said hesitantly, trying to be realistic. To his relief, Renji nodded, seeming to understand.

"You got a name?" Renji asked, sounding slightly less harsh. Ichigo nodded.

"Kurosaki," he said, decided that it'd be easier to avoid lying. "Who are you guys?"

"Abarai Renji," he said, pointing to himself before gesturing to Rukia, "and Hatake Rukia."

"We were on our way home if you want to come with us," Rukia offered. Before Renji could protest, Ichigo smiled slightly.

"Thanks, that'd be great. I've been living on my own for a while; I don't have anyone to tell where I've gone." Ichigo clenched his jaw for the benefit of the two souls as he stood shakily.

"You okay to move?" Renji asked in what might have been a concerned voice. Ichigo took a step forward and nodded.

"I heal fast; as long as we don't move too fast, I should be fine," he said truthfully. Of course, 'too fast' would have a different definition to the young Renji, but Ichigo thought that they'd be better off with their own assumptions.

Right on cue, Rukia nodded before walking forward at a sedate pace. She stopped a few feet ahead of the boys, waiting for them. Renji puffed out his chest a little before striding forward. Ichigo rolled his eyes before walking normally, ignoring the quickly dulling pain in his chest and arm.

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><p>Coming around a bend in the walkway, Ichigo spotted Rukia and Renji's home. It was a simple wooden cabin overlooking a large river. There were a number of children surrounding the home, all of which came out as Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo drew near.<p>

"What'd you bring us? Can we eat? I'm _starving_!" Kids shouted towards the three older souls. Rukia smiled, taking the bundle from Renji as Ichigo realized that it must have been food.

Wanting to contribute, he glanced around. His eyes fell on the creek and he smiled when a fish broke the surface, flopping in midair before falling back.

Without hesitation, Ichigo snapped a thicker stick off of a nearby tree. He took out the dagger hidden in his pant leg- a necessity for every shinigami and shinigami substitute- and sharpened the stick, much to the confusion of the others.

"What are you doing?" one of the younger children asked. Ichigo glanced down at her. She looked about seven or eight with dark brown hair pulled into neat pigtails behind her ears. Only the awareness in her eyes betrayed her age.

"There are lots of fish in that creek. I- I used to go fishing with my dad when I was alive," Ichigo lied, appeasing the children. Renji scoffed.

"Good luck catching anything."

Ichigo scowled before letting his expression soften as Rukia smiled comfortingly.

"I'm sure he'll catch something," she insisted. Ichigo smirked, covering the relief that even this… _un_-shinigami version of Rukia seemed to trust him.

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><p>AN:

Chapter two, complete.

Please review and tell me what you think of the story so far :)

And, yes. Ichigo _does_ manage to catch some fish.

^.^ Susie ^.^


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:

WARNING: this is not the first chapter added today. If you have not already, go to chapter 1 and start from there. Thank you~

I do not own Bleach in any way, shape, or form.

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><p>"How many kids are here?" Ichigo asked curiously, trying to count the children as they gathered around the unsteady, roughly hewn table sitting just inside the surprisingly large cabin. Its furnishings were obviously handmade and rough but seemed to work as intended and were fairly sturdy.<p>

"It's hard to keep track," Rukia admitted, trying to balance three plates as she walked a little unsteadily towards the table. The children gathered around, pulling random chairs or cushions to the table's edge in a familiar pattern. "We've had anywhere from a dozen to just Renji and me."

"And you take care of everyone?" Ichigo asked, seeing a small face on the young Rukia's face. She nodded determinedly as Renji answered for her in a gruff voice.

"It's a rough town. If we don't take care of the younger ones, no one will," he said briefly as Rukia smiled to the children.

"Is everyone washed up?" she asked loudly. The kids readily held their hands up for inspection. Rukia chuckled as she picked two of the children out to wash their hands more thoroughly. When they had returned and everyone was seated, Rukia served the freshly caught fish Ichigo had caught and the rice and vegetables that Rukia and Renji had managed to steal.

"Ittadakimasu!" the children shouted in unison. Rukia nodded once at when they hesitated and they began to dig in, trying to get as much food onto their plates and in their mouths as possible. Rukia watched them with a sad smile.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, looking up from his own food. Rukia looked at her plate with an almost guilty expression.

"The new Academy year starts in a few weeks. The applications are due in a few days," she divulged. Renji's face lit up with a determined grin, his eyes never leaving his untouched food. Ichigo put up a clueless façade.

"Are they? I thought I missed it," he said quietly, almost muttering to himself.

"Do you want to apply with us?" Rukia asked, just as Ichigo had planned her to. He let his face lift into a smile before letting Renji ruin it.

"I doubt he'd get in. He's barely has any reiatsu," he said, obviously proud of his own spiritual energy. Confused, Ichigo sent an inward glance towards Zangetsu.

_**I might have been repressing your reiatsu a bit. Actually, a lot. I'm impressed you didn't notice it.**_

_You're repressing so much that Renji can barely feel it?_ Ichigo asked, amazed. Zangetsu shrugged his shoulders slightly

_**Shiro might be helping a bit. He's been strangely quiet since you touched… whatever that device was. **_

_Do you think I should be worried?_

_**No. He can take care of himself, especially since he's stuck in here.**_

Satisfied, Ichigo pulled himself out of his own thoughts to see Rukia waving a hand in front of his face.

"Yeah- What?" he asked, a little embarrassed. Rukia cleared her throat and Ichigo half-expected her to pull out her notebook, ready to draw Chappie in some dangerous situation.

"I said," she began, sounding a bit irritated, "that if you want to apply with us, you can come with us tomorrow. We have to get the paperwork and stuff out of the way. The actual entrance exam isn't for a few weeks," Rukia continued.

When, in the middle of her explanation, Rukia traced the outline of something that vaguely resembled a rabbit against the wooden table with her index finger, Ichigo rolled his eyes, trying to hide his grin.

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><p>After dinner, Rukia had the kids get ready for bed before settling into a familiar-feeling routine. Rukia knelt beside the children and told them a story. She acted out the parts as best as she could, trying to make all of the kids laugh before she finished the story. Then she tucked them into bed and stood, stretching.<p>

Renji walked around the cabin, stoking the fire and straightening up things in what looked like an attempt to keep busy. Everyone now and then, he'd glance at Rukia but he'd look away just as quickly.

Ichigo, not being sure what to do, sat down and stared down at his ruined shihakusho, knowing he'd have to get something to wear while he was at the Academy.

Yes, the great Kurosaki Ichigo was going to the Academy.

Somewhere, the Visored were laughing their asses off.

_It might be good to learn kido… Even if I suck at it, that'll mean more time with-_

He cut the thought before it could finish developing. It wouldn't help anything to think about the way she had-

_Stop it_, he ordered himself. Even with the self-made order, he couldn't help but look towards the future Kuchiki every few minutes before laying down to sleep himself.

Something that did not go unmissed by one Abarai Renji.

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><p>AN:

I realized how short this chapter was, and I figured: _Eh, what the heck. One more chapter won't hurt, right?_

So please please please hit that little yellow review button and type something up. Even if it's really short, I appreciate that you cared enough to spare a few minutes.

Thank you for reading!

^.^ Susie ^.^


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:

Thanks and virtual cookies to everyone that followed, reviewed, and favorited this story so far!

This is when the story really starts, so thank you for sticking with it this far :)

I don't own Bleach

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><p>Ichigo listened to one of the teachers as he lectured the shinigami-hopefuls on what to expected. Well, he tried to listen. If only a little.<p>

"There are five tests you will take: hakuda, hoho, zanjutsu, kido, and lastly basic knowledge of the zanpakuto and hollows. You will need to pass three of the five tests to be accepted into the Shinigami Academy. If you pass four or five tests or if you have abnormally high reiatsu you are put into the advanced class," he explained, sounding as if he had rehearsed this speech too many times to count.

Bored, Ichigo glanced down at his new clothes: a simple black shirt and pants with a dark coat not unlike Urahara's. It hadn't taken much effort on his part to steal new clothes for himself, Renji, and Rukia- nothing a little shunpo in the general direction of the wealthier shops couldn't handle. Renji had seemed wary, as he should have been, of the dark, almost red, yukata and Rukia asked more than once how he had managed to steal the pale pink kimono she was now dressed in.

Done analyzing the delicate threadwork that laced the sleeves onto the body of his coat, Ichigo glanced up at the teacher, surprised to see more than one hopeful turning and talking to another.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked one of the other hopefuls. The girl turned to him with a look of almost distain on her face.

"Weren't you paying any attention?" she sneered. "The fifth seat on one of the Divisions was sent here to review our examination."

"This isn't the type of thing they'd send a fifth seat on," Ichigo murmured to Rukia. Renji, overhearing, shrugged blatantly.

"Who cares? That just means that they'll get rid of everyone _useless_," he said loudly, staring pointedly at the girl who had told them about the fifth seat's assignment. She scoffed, sounding offended under her irritation, and Renji grinned. Ichigo sighed, his features falling into his trademark scowl. He didn't scowl so much these- or rather, _his_- days but old habits die hard and all that.

After a pause, Rukia spoke, obviously anxious.

"I wonder how they've ordered our examinations," she said aloud, playing with her hands. Ichigo almost moved to stop them before realizing that that'd leave his hand on hers', and he immediately still his hand.

"I think they're going to do it by the order that they got the paperwork," another of the students said, jumping into the conversation. Ichigo studied the boy beside Rukia. He was on the taller side, with straight brown hair that fell loosely to his jaw line. Unlike the majority of the hopefuls, Ichigo was surprised to see that this one had a decent amount of reiatsu considering his lack of training.

"My name's Potter John," he said, extending his hand. Only at his English name did Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji notice his accent. Ichigo accepted the hand, switching languages automatically.

"Nice to meet you," Ichigo said, trying not to mispronounce the English words.

"You speak English?" John responded, sounding impressed. Ichigo smiled wryly.

"My dad made me learn how when I was young," he said carefully. "How did you learn Japanese?"

"I was supposed to start high school in Japan." John glanced around before chuckling breathily. "Guess that's not exactly what happened."

"Where were you supposed to go?"

"Somewhere called… Karakura Town, I think. Why?" Ichigo's jaw dropped at the odds. "What?"

"Karakura Town… That's where I grew up. What are the chances of that?" Ichigo asked in Japanese, trying not to exclude Rukia and Renji too much.

"What are the chances of what?" Renji asked, clearly irritated.

"I was going to transfer to Karakura High School, where- What's your name?"

"Laugh at my name and I will seriously hurt you. Kurosaki Ichigo," he informed them. As expected. Renji burst into laughter and Rukia laughed into her hand. John remained as stony as he could but a smile twitched onto his face.

As promised, Ichigo punched Renji in the shoulder, pushing him back several feet. Rukia was still laughing into her hand so, to keep himself as honest as possible, Ichigo trapped her into a loose chokehold, pulling her against him. He smirked at the slight blush that appeared on her face.

_It's nice to be reminded that it's not one sided every now and then… _Ichigo's thoughts drifted off as Renji approached, his face matching his hair.

"Strawberry!" he roared angrily. Ichigo scowled, fending the urgency to shunpo towards Renji off.

"Oi! No fighting!" A woman with curly dark hair that went nearly to her waist shouted. She had a complex series of tribal tattoos swirling down the right side of her face that continued down her neck, disappearing into her shihakusho. She walked closer, holding a clipboard, and Ichigo cursed his luck. He just hoped that this wasn't the fifth seat that would be watching the exams. "You, what's your name?" she asked, staring directly at Ichigo.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," he said clearly. The woman glanced down at her clipboard before nodding once.

"Good. Come with me."

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><p>"Now," she began. Ichigo glanced down the empty hallway. The woman had led him well away from the main waiting room. Now that she was closer, Ichigo counted three studs in her left ear and another in her left eyebrow. She wore a necklace that seemed to be decorated with miniature handcuffs.<p>

"We have very good reason to believe that you are not who you say you are. On your application, you said that you were from Karakura town and came to us almost three years ago," she recited from her clipboard. Ichigo nodded.

"That is correct." And it was. It was nearly the third anniversary of his first coming to Soul Society, the trip he had undertaken to save Rukia.

"And that is where we have a… discrepancy, if you will. Each soul that is buried by the shinigami in the living world keep a log of the number, as well as a description, of the souls in question. Normally, we use this information to accommodate the new souls in Rukongai, but we also refer to it regarding any and all Academy applicants. And I can guarantee that no shinigami released you from the living world.

"Would you like to revise your application?" Hearing the woman's friendly tone turn icy, Ichigo thought hard.

_Zangetsu? _he asked hopefully, but to no avail. His zanpakuto would not respond to his summons.

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo," he repeated. "I am from Karakura Town. My father is a shinigami, my mother was human. I can't tell you anything else."

"Can't," the woman said, narrowing her eyes, "or won't?"

"Can't. Everything else you want to know has to be explained to Ji- Yamamoto-soutaicho in person."

_Ji-?_ The woman thought to herself. _What was he about to say?_

"I cannot condone that."

"Then I will respectfully and peacefully retract my application and continue to stay out of your way on one condition."

"What's your condition?"

"Let me take the exam. Then you can decide if I'm worth Yamamoto-soutaicho's time," Ichigo conceded. The woman nearly growled, clenching her fists.

"I don't suppose you know who I am, _kid._ I am Kanashimi Nokoribi, the fifth seat of the 10th Division-" _Toshirou?_ Ichigo thought to himself. "It is neither your business, nor your place, to be ordering me to do anything. You are in over your head. Now, who are you?" she repeated, letting her reiatsu flare just a little. Ichigo kept the scowl off of his face.

"I'm sorry if this wasn't the reaction you were looking for, but I've fought against creatures and shinigami that would make you crawl into a hole. I would return your little reiatsu burst, but my reiatsu has a habit of attracting people like Zaraki Kenpachi and, for some reason, I don't feel like getting into a battle to the death today. So, Kanashimi Nokoribi-san, can we return to the others? I'm sure Renji and Rukia-san are taking the exam now."

Defeated, Nokoribi released her hold on the hilt of her sealed zanpakuto before nodding tightly.

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><p>AN:

Lol, Strawberry XD

And no, Toshirou is not captain yet. I bet you can guess who is thought ;)

Till next update,

^.^ Susie ^.^


	5. Chapter 5

A/N:

I don't own Bleach -.-'

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><p>"Kurosaki Ichigo!"<p>

There were a few snickers at his name but the orange-haired substitute shinigami ignored them as he stepped forward and into a testing room. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but he was startled by the normalcy exuding from the classroom. The back shelf was lined with textbooks all dedicated to kido, from beginning to advanced. Desks formed orderly rows through most of the classroom but left a reasonably large space in the front of the room, just in front of the blackboard. Just under the blackboard lay three rows of asauchi, nameless zanpakuto, that stretched the length of the wall.

Turning away from the furniture, Ichigo looked at his examiner. Kanashimi Nokoribi was there, glowering at him from a lonely corner, but she was quickly ignored. Ichigo turned his attention to a man that looked to be in his late thirties; it's hard to guess in the Soul Society. He had hair so dark that it was nearly blue that was cropped reasonably short. He had dark but warm brown eyes that studied Ichigo appraisingly.

"Kurosaki-san?" he asked, glancing at his clipboard. Ichigo nodded in confirmation. "My name is Utada Li, and I will be your tester today. This," he said, gesturing towards Nokoribi," is Kanashimi Nokoribi, fifth seat of the 10th Division.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, we can begin. First, state everything you know about a zanpakuto."

"A zanpakuto is the reincarnation of a shinigami's soul, shaped into a blade. It has two releases: shikai and bankai. The first, and more achievable release to gain, is Shikai is gained by reaching harmony between the shinigami and their zanpakuto. You get bankai by manifesting your zanpakuto's spirit and forcing it into submission. Zanpakuto can have different strengths or abilities, just like their shinigami. Some are elemental, others are purely powerful, but they usually rely on the shinigami's reiatsu to create an attack."

"Very good," Li said, sounding surprised. He wrote something down on his clipboard before glancing back up at Ichigo. "Next; tell me everything you know about hollows."

"Hollows are fallen souls, identifiable by a hole or a white mask and a monstrous appearance. When hundreds of hollows combine, or are eaten by another hollow, they form into a Menos Grande, usually losing their individuality. If they keep their individuality, they form what is called an Adjuchas, which is even more dangerous and able to take on most captain-level shinigami. They're rare, but happen occasionally. Hollows are purified, and most are able to be sent on to Soul Society, after they have been defeated by a shinigami." Ichigo was about to continue when he was cut off by Li.

"You seem to be very knowledgeable," he said, sounding impressed. "You have passed the first test. Next is hoho. To pass, you must land five clean touches on me within five minutes. Begin."

Careful to avoid using shunpo and sonido, Ichigo stepped forward as Li spun out of the way. Keeping up easily, Ichigo landed a touch on his opponent's left shoulder and another at his stomach. To compensate, Li increased his speed further, with similar results. Ichigo easily matched his speed, tapping the older man on the arm.

Li spun downwards, rolling slightly to the side, but Ichigo saw through the tactic and stayed standing, easily darting towards the man when he leapt off of the floor. He tapped the man again, landing a hit on Li's chest. Before the man could react, Ichigo shot his hand out and hit his right shoulder before moving to a more relaxed stance.

"Very good," Li said, breathing a little deeply. He gave both himself and Ichigo a moment to rest before he wrote more on his clipboard. "Next is hakuda. I will stop you when I've seen enough."

Barely giving Ichigo time to think, Li launched himself towards the orange haired teenager with a purposefully weak punch to the head. Dodging reflexively, Ichigo ducked, kicking his right leg up to kick the man in the stomach.

Sensing the applicant's experience, Li blocked the blow and began to attack in earnest. Ichigo matched the older man's pace, blocking and evading each blow while firing off his own attacks every now and then.

After five minutes, neither opponent ceasing, Li called Ichigo to stop.

"Stop!" Li called out. Ichigo blinked before retreating. Li stood, breathing heavily but smiling. "Well done. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I took karate when I was alive. Plenty of practice in Rukongai, I guess," Ichigo shrugged. Nokoribi scowled.

"You remember your life in the living world?" Li asked, impressed again. "That usually means that you'd have a lot of reiatsu."

"Do you have any shinigami relatives?" Li asked suddenly. Ichigo sighed exasperatedly.

"I'm not related to Shiba Kaien." At the fifth seat's curious look, Ichigo mentally scoffed. "I get that a lot."

"I bet… You look a lot like him," she said, sounding a little suspicious.

"Okay, next: kido," Li read aloud. "You will perform Bakudo number one: Sai. Focus your reiatsu to your fingertips and try to shape it into ropes to bind me while saying, 'Bakudo number one: Sai'. The incantation helps improve your concentration. Understand?"

Ichigo nodded.

_Try to control my reiatsu,_ he quietly asked Zangetsu. The zanpakuto nodded silently, closing his eyes in concentration.

"Bakudo number one… Sai!" Ichigo said under his breath, trying to call a sliver of his massive reserves of reiatsu around the older man. It seemed to obey, even if the ropes of energy were highly visible and glowing.

After a moment, the reiatsu shook before exploding, knocking Li out. Ichigo scowled clenching his fists.

"Sorry," he almost growled. "I always sucked at kido…" He looked up to see Nokoribi's hand resting on her zanpakuto's hilt. "That was an accident, I-"

"Shut up, kid," she said, sighing. She stuck her head out into the hallway. "Amaya-san, can you come in here?"

After a moment, an average looking woman dressed in a shihakusho stepped into the room. She had a heart shaped face with a single slash of dark red hair through the middle, not unlike Rukia's. The rest of her hair was cut short, barely reaching her shoulders. Nokoribi gestured towards Li.

"Backfiring kido," she explained easily. "I was wondering if you could be so kind as to witness Kurosaki's zanjutsu test."

Amaya nodded, picking up Li's slightly scorched clipboard before speaking in a quiet voice.

"Any time you're ready, Kanashimi-san," she said, looking intently at the two figures in front of her.

"Good. Pick your blade, Kurosaki," the fifth seat ordered, a smug smile in her hazel eyes. Kurosaki obeyed, picking a blade that was most like Tensa Zangetsu. His final decision was a blade about five feet long. He picked it up and tested the balance in his hand, trying to familiarize himself with the strange weight of the blade. When he was prepared, he held the asauchi aloft.

"Ready," he announced. Nokoribi smirked.

"This is just like the hakuda test- don't stop until I say so. Begin!"

Ichigo ran forward, keeping his speed just below shunpo. Nokoribi blocked the strike, her eyes widening as she stopped herself from doing a double take at her opponent's speed. She compensated quickly, letting herself get faster.

Ichigo went through the motions, trying to make it seem like he was giving his all. After almost ten minutes of even competition, Nokoribi stumbled on the edge of a floor tile. Taking advantage of this small opening, Ichigo twisted his unfamiliar blade in his wrist, disarming the fifth seat and holding the asauchi centimeters from the brunette's pale throat.

No one made a sound.

Ichigo pulled his asauchi away from the woman's neck before bowing his head politely.

"W- Welcome to the Advanced Class, Kurosaki-san," Amaya managed to say. "We'll take your reiatsu level and then you may leave. You'll receive your schedule and your uniform outside."

* * *

><p>Nokoribi was stunned. She knew that the kid was strong, that much was obvious, but he had been <em>playing<em> with her. She doubted that Amaya, a low-level shinigami, could tell, but she definitely could. His eyes didn't have the same desperation that most Academy applicants had, nor did they have the determination that came from most higher-level shinigami, the acceptance that they were fighting with their all.

Not to mention his reiatsu signature. Not only was his reiatsu incredibly high, it was also muffled somehow, as if something was disturbing it on purpose. It made his reiatsu hard to identify, adding to her thoughts that the young soul was hiding something. Something big.

And she, as a seated officer, was going to find out.

* * *

><p>Ichigo left the testing room with a smug grin on his face, heading back to the main waiting room. Rukia, John, and Renji were already back, and poring over their new schedules, each holding a uniform in their arms.<p>

"Ichigo-san!" Rukia shouted, waving him over. "What class were you placed in?"

"Advanced," he said, grinning. He had expected it, seeing as he _had_ defeated a number of the captains at one time or another.

"Me too; I wonder if we'll have any classes together," Renji said, glancing at his schedule. John punched Ichigo lightly in the shoulder.

"Nice, man," he complimented easily.

"What about you two?" Ichigo asked. Rukia's expression fell just a bit and John answered for the two of them.

"We're in Regular," he shrugged. "Rukia and I have most of our classes together but I'm in advanced first year hakuda and she had advanced first year kido."

"My kido _sucked_. I knocked out the proctor," Ichigo said, comforting the younger Rukia. She cheered up a little, smirking.

"Only you, Strawberry," she teased.

"What did you say, midget?" he growled, scowling.

"Kurosaki!" a voice shouted out. Ichigo looked up to see the woman from before, Amaya, walking towards him with a slip of paper and a dark blue uniform. "Here's your uniform, schedule, and your dorm room number. There are more uniforms in your dorm room already. If you lose your schedule, you can go to your dorm advisor and he'll give you another copy. Welcome to the Spiritual Arts Academy."

* * *

><p>AN:

I updated this a bit sooner than I meant to, but I felt a bit compelled to. No idea why, but you should thank whatever imaginary force made me want to update today, seeing as I wasn't really planning on it for a few more days.

Please review; I read each one x3

Thanks for reading~

^.^ Susie ^.^


	6. Chapter 6

A/N:

Long break in updates, but I hope you like the chapter anyway :)

I don't own Bleach x/3

* * *

><p>Ichigo looked down at his schedule.<p>

Kurosaki Ichigo

Dorm 2, Floor 1, Room 117

Reiatsu Level: 7

Class Schedule- Advanced Class

Monday through Friday

Block 1: Advanced Fifth Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 2: Advanced Fourth Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 3: Lunch

Block 4: Advanced Fourth Year Hakuda Practical/Theory

Block 5: Regular First Year Kido Practical/Theory

Saturday

Block 1: Regular First Year Kido Practical/Theory

Block 2: Elective

Block 3: Advanced Fifth Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 4: Lunch

Block 5: Advanced Fourth Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Sundays are free.

He only had a glance at his classes before the paper was snatched out of his glance. Rukia and John crowded Renji, the paper held up in his hands.

"Wha- _Fifth Year Zanjutsu?_ That must be a typo!" John shouted. Rukia and Renji were much more preoccupied with the first number that caught their eye.

"Level 7!" Renji exclaimed, Rukia echoing him in a gasp.

"Level 7?" John asked, his brain whirring. "Isn't that high-lieutenant level?"

_Zangetsu, _Ichigo groaned to his zanpakuto's spirit.

_**I did the best I could with your amount of reiatsu. Shiro wasn't feeling very helpful. Besides, lieutenant is better than above captain.**_

_I guess…_

"What about your schedules?" Ichigo asked, trying to divert the attention he was steadily gathering.

"Oh yeah, check out mine," Renji said, pushing both Ichigo's and his own schedule into the former's hands.

Abarai Renji

Dorm 2, Floor 1, Room 137

Reiatsu Level: 3

Class Schedule- Advanced ClassMonday through Friday

Block 1: Advanced First Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 2: Advanced First Year Hakuda Practical/Theory

Block 3: Advanced First Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 4: Lunch

Block 5: Regular First Year Kido Practical/TheorySaturday

Block 1: Elective

Block 2: Advanced First Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 3: Lunch

Block 4: Advanced First Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 5: Regular First Year Kido Practical/Theory

Sundays are free.

"It looks like we have Hoho and Kido together, Monday through Friday," Ichigo said, comparing the two schedules. "Hey, we're in the same dorm building, same floor… John, what's your schedule like?"

The foreign boy offered his schedule without any resistance.

Potter John

Dorm 1, Floor 3, Room 302

Reiatsu Level: 2

Class Schedule- Regular ClassMonday through Friday

Block 1: Advanced First Year Hakuda Practical/Theory

Block 2: Regular First Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 3: Lunch

Block 4: Regular First Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 5: Regular First Year Kido Practical/TheorySaturday

Block 1: Regular First Year Kido Practical/Theory

Block 2: Regular First Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 3: Lunch

Block 4: Regular First Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 5: Elective

Sundays are free.

"Looks like… we have lunch and together, Monday through Friday, and kido on Saturday. You and Renji have lunch on Saturday… That looks like it's it," Ichigo said, studying the schedules. He held out a hand towards Rukia. "Let me see if we have anything together."

Looking crestfallen, she handed over the paper.

Hatake Rukia

Dorm 1, Floor 2, Room 202

Reiatsu Level: 2

Class Schedule- Regular ClassMonday through Friday

Block 1: Advanced First Year Kido Practical/Theory

Block 2: Regular First Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 3: Lunch

Block 4: Regular First Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 5: Regular First Year Hakuda Practical/TheorySaturday

Block 1: Regular First Year Hakuda Practical/Theory

Block 2: Regular First Year Zanjutsu Practical/Theory

Block 3: Lunch

Block 4: Regular First Year Hoho Practical/Theory

Block 5: Elective

Sundays are free.

"So you have hoho and zanjutsu with John and lunch with John and myself, Monday through Friday. You have zanjutsu, hoho, and an elective with John and lunch with… everyone but me," Ichigo finished, a little disappointed. He didn't have a single class with Rukia.

"Are you going to talk to someone about your schedule?" John asked Ichigo, his voice a little cautious. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"I'll just go to class. If I'm not supposed to be there, the teacher will move me," he started to say, just as the rumors circulating the room reached his little group.

"I heard he beat the fifth seat!"

"Yeah, in zanjutsu!"

"Are you sure? He doesn't look that strong…"

"What kind of name is _Ichigo_?"

Surprisingly- or maybe, _un_surprisingly-, it was the last comment that annoyed the orange haired shinigami.

**I think you should just kill 'em.**

_Shiro,_ Ichigo acknowledged him, surprised at his inner hollow's reappearance. _Where've you been? It's been… peaceful around here without you._

**Yeah, yeah, ha ha frickin' ha. Hilarious. Now shut the hell up; I got a **_**killer**_** headache.**

_Please?_ Ichigo prompted. Shiro growled.

**Fine, I won't disembowel you, but only because you asked nicely,** he sneered before retreating into the maze of Ichigo's inner world.

"So?" Rukia asked exasperatedly. Ichigo jumped slightly, snapping out of his surprisingly civil conversation with Shiro. _He might behave, but that doesn't mean he likes to…_

"Sorry, what?"

"Did you really beat the fifth seat?" John hinted. Ichigo scowled before forcing the old habit away.

"A little?" he shrugged.

"What do you mean, a little?" Rukia almost shouted. Ichigo was oddly relieved when Nokoribi interrupted the future shinigami.

"Kurosaki, come with me," she ordered, pushing her way into the small circle of friends.

Not waiting for a response, Nokoribi spun on her heel and walked away proudly. Ichigo directed what he hoped was an apologetic glance to his friends before following the fifth seat away from the waiting room.

* * *

><p>AN:

Wow, what a terrible place to leave it off...

And _THAT, _dear readers - if I still have any... - is why I'm updating twice today! Yes, you read that right! Or did you? You better go back and check.

...

If you did, you should know that I am laughing _at_ you, not _with_ you ;)

^.^ Susie ^.^


	7. Chapter 7

A/N:

WARNING: This is the second update of the night so, if you haven't already, please go back one chapter. Thank you~

I don't own Bleach...

* * *

><p>"So?" Ichigo asked, crossing his arms tiredly. Nokoribi, facing away from him, clenched a fist but continued walking.<p>

"I'm taking you to see my captain."

"Who is...?" Ichigo sounded surprised, but pleasantly so. Nokoribi's curiosity spiked. _Everyone knows who taicho is... Who is this kid?_

"This goes over my head. I have no idea who you are, but-"

"If your taicho is willing to listen to me, then I won't have to go to Yamamoto-soutaicho. Whether you believe it or not, I'm not a threat to Soul Society. There are a number of things I don't exactly… promote, but I'm not an enemy."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I think I should tell that story with a captain around to hear it. I'd rather not tell the story more than once. It's kind of long."

Nokoribi was irritated but not outwardly offended. She hadn't expected him to say anything at all; even what he had said was better than nothing. With luck, she'd be invited to listen in.

She continued to lead him through the streets of Soul Society. After a few minutes, Ichigo figured out where they were heading and he smiled wryly.

"What?" Nokoribi asked. He noted that her voice was more curious than angry.

"You're taking me straight to the 10th Division's barracks. Most of the shinigami I know would either take me the long way and try to make me talk before we get there, or challenge me to a fight to the death."

"Speaking of fights to the death, what did you mean about Zaraki-taicho?"

"That ties into what I need to tell the captains. Long story short, I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing something that the Gotei 13 seemed to disapprove of, and had to fight my way through to rescue a friend of mine."

"You're lying," she decided. "I've never heard of anything like that."

"Not yet," Ichigo said, nodding seriously in agreement. "So, how about a shunpo race to the barracks? I know the way."

"You- Shunpo-"

"Three, two,-"

"You're on-"

"Go!"

And the two shot off. Ichigo immediately jumped onto the rooftops, relying on his memory of Soul Society's layout to guide him to the correct barracks. Well, anywhere but the 11th Division's barracks was fine by him. He nearly shuddered, trying to repress the unwelcome memories of the battle royals that took place each weekend. Ichigo had quickly learned not to hang out with Shiba Kukaku.

Ichigo jumped off of the rooftops, skidding to a stop just in front of the barracks. He leaned against the wall, waiting for the fifth seat to show up.

She came just a few moments later, only to be annoyed to see that the orange haired 'kid' had beaten her at yet another thing.

"You're fast," she complimented, albeit grudgingly. Ichigo laughed under his breath.

"I learned from the best," he said, the image of a small black cat flashing into his mind. Nokoribi remained silent as she strode into the barracks, ignoring the stares that she and the orange-haired soul were attracting.

Ichigo was following easily, his attention elsewhere as he looked for familiar faces in the barracks. Disappointed with the apparent lack of almost everyone he knew, Ichigo turned his eyes back to Nokoribi. The female shinigami stopped short in front of a door, knocking quietly.

Someone grumbled on the other side of the door before the door slid open. Standing in the doorway with a stupid grin on his face, his feet propped up on the desk, was none other than Ichigo's father, Kurosaki Isshin. He wore a captain's haori over his shihakusho. A sealed zanpakuto was attached securely to his hip. Ichigo noted a bracelet, something that he recognized as a reiatsu-dampener, fastened around Isshin's left wrist.

"Who's the kid?" he asked his fifth seat, studying Ichigo with slightly narrowed eyes. Ichigo studied the man in return, finding the lack of facial hair rather alarming.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Nokoribi said, glancing behind Kaien.

"Kurosaki? Interesting," Isshin said, standing and opening the door a bit further and backing away, inviting the two in. "What's up?"

"Kid, go to the courtyard," Nokoribi ordered. Ichigo resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Don't you trust me, Kanashimi-san?" he smirked.

"No," she said in a monotone. Ichigo's smirk grew.

"Eh, that's probably a good thing. Hey, Isshin," Ichigo smirked. Nokoribi fumed as Isshin laughed.

"Hmm, I like him," he decided, a laugh ringing behind his words.

"Sit," she ordered, pointing to the tatami mat next to her. Ichigo kept his face set as he sat down.

"So what's this about?" Isshin asked, sitting back at his desk, his eyes carefully avoiding the stack of paperwork lying in his inbox.

"Him," Nokoribi said, pointing at Ichigo with one hand. "Kurosaki, why don't you tell Kurosaki-_taicho_ what you put on your Academy application?"

"Do you want to know what I'm allergic to, too?" Ichigo smirked. Nokoribi's hand rested on the hilt of her zanpakuto and Ichigo backtracked slightly. "This isn't going to go anywhere, you know. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. It's been about three years since I came to the Soul Society from Karakura Town. I'm currently living with two other applicants, Hatake Rukia and Abarai Renji."

"And your parents?" Nokoribi prompted.

"That ties into what I need the higher-ups to know. Like I said, it's a long story. I'd rather just tell it once."

"Well, I'm a higher up. Why don't you tell me?" Isshin asked his future son, his voice carefully laced with boredom.

"I don't think you'd believe me," Ichigo said honestly. Nokoribi clenched her fist.

"Taicho, we need him to talk. While his kido knocked out the proctor, he has experience in hakuda, hoho, and zanjutsu. I tested him for his zanjutsu test."

"And?" Isshin asked, his interest catching slightly.

"I was defeated within ten minutes," she reported, staring at the floor. Isshin turned towards Ichigo, studying his face.

"What's hiding your reiatsu signature?"

_Damn it._

_**You might as well tell him,**_ Zangetsu nodded.

"My zanpakuto," Ichigo explained grudgingly. Isshin looked unsurprised.

"Shikai?"

"Yes," Ichigo said, keeping his answer short and sweet. Nokoribi didn't seem to appreciate it. Isshin grinned.

"Noko-chan, he's been here how long?" the captain asked, an almost playful tone to his voice. Nokoribi scowled at the nickname but responded truthfully.

"For three-"

"No. He knows someone," he interrupted, appraising Ichigo. "A shinigami wouldn't apply for the Academy. A substitute shinigami might. So- Ichigo, was it?- who do you know?"

Ichigo tried to get the smirk off of his face.

"That's a bit of a trick question. I know everyone, but they don't know me," Ichigo said truthfully. "And no, I can't explain that. I really don't want to tell the whole story. If you get another captain, I'll talk. I will tell you that I met Urahara while I was alive. He taught me how to fight."

He looked surprised.

"Kisuke? How's he doing?" Isshin asked fondly. Ichigo shrugged.

"Not sure. Haven't seen him in a while," Ichigo said, laughing under his breath.

"Really?" Nokoribi raised an eyebrow.

"We need more information," Isshin interrupted.

"What do you want?" Ichigo said, humoring the shinigami.

"How did you get shinigami powers?"

"The long version, or the short version?" Ichigo asked. After receiving a withering glance from Nokoribi, he grinned. "Short version, I guess. My family naturally has a large amounts of reiatsu. My two little sisters and my dad were at home when they were targeted by a Hollow. The shinigami assigned to Karakura Town was severely wounded and offered me half of their powers. One sword to the chest later and I'm wearing a shihakusho with a sword in my hand. Any more questions?"

"What happened to the shinigami?" Isshin asked curiously.

"She has no memory of the event. No, neither Urahara or I planned for that to happen."

"Where's your zanpakuto?" Nokoribi asked, only now getting a word in. Ichigo closed his eyes slightly in concentration before his zanpakuto appeared, dug into the floor ever so slightly. Ichigo rested a hand on the hilt before pulling it out of the tatami mat.

"Any questions?"

"What's up with your sword? Why isn't it sealed?" Nokoribi said as Isshin studying the blade with his eyes, the simplicity of it catching his attention.

"He can't," Isshin answered for Ichigo. Ichigo looked a little surprised but met his father's gaze when he looked up. "Right? You can't seal it."

"Nope. Too much reiatsu," Ichigo said, one thought going to the captain of the 11th division. He suppressed another shudder, turning back to the shinigami before him.

"So... what do you want me to do? I could seriously use some sleep if you're gonna let me go back to the Academy."

"Why are you going to the Academy anyway? Seeing as no one's killed you yet, you probably aren't out to kill anyone. Why aren't you already a full-fledged shinigami?"

At her superior's question, Nokoribi scoffed.

"The kid's better than me with a sword and just as fast, but his kido _sucks_; Worst I've seen in years," she grinned. Ichigo scowled. Isshin barked a laugh and Ichigo had to restrain the instinct to kick him in the jaw. After so many years, it had become a natural reaction.

"Thank you, Noko-chan," Ichigo muttered under his breath, hoping that the fifth seat would hear. She did, and sent an icy glare his way. Of course, after Gin, Aizen, the Espada, the Bounts, and everything else Ichigo had been through, it didn't have the desired effect.

"Hey, kid, are we related?" Isshin asked, ignoring or- more likely- oblivious to the tension radiating from the fifth seat. Ichigo paused, not sure how to phrase, _'Oh yeah, I'm your son from the future',_ without seeming weird.

"Not that I'm aware of," he said finally. Isshin looked unconvinced but let it go.

"So... Why haven't I seen you around Seireitei before? You're pretty recognizable," Isshin said after a pause, his eyes glancing up Ichigo's hair, forcing the teenager back into a scowl, which Isshin laughed at. "Ooh, touchy," Isshin grinned.

Ichigo snapped, and, before he realized it, Isshin was on the ground, nursing a red mark on his jaw. Ichigo felt the chill of a blade at his neck and glanced behind him to see Nokoribi, holding her zanpakuto aloft. Isshin, breaking the silence, roared with laughter.

"At ease, Noko," he chuckled, finally calming down enough to form a coherent sentence. Nokoribi kept her sword at Ichigo's neck. "The punk couldn't actually hurt me if he tried."

"Wanna bet, _taicho_?" Ichigo grinned. Shiro laughed from his mindscape. Isshin only scoffed, raising his index finger up.

"One, you may be good with a sword, but I've had decades of experience. Two," he said, raising his other finger, "I'm a captain of the Gotei 13, you just passed your Academy entrance exam. Three-"

"One, I was taught by Urahara Kisuke, Shihouin Yoruichi, and the Visored. Two, my reiatsu is on level with yours' when its being _hidden_. Three-"

"The Visored?" Nokoribi asked quietly, not lowering her sword from Ichigo's neck. Isshin's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Hollowfied shinigami. About sixty years ago, a group of high ranking shinigami- captains and lieutenants- obtained hollow powers. They were branded as criminals and left Soul Society. How'd you find them?" Isshin asked, turning to Ichigo. Ichigo smirked.

"All part of the story," Ichigo yawned. "Is that it, or do you have some more questions?"

"You didn't answer any of our questions!" Nokoribi sputtered. Isshin hummed to himself, holding out a hand to silence his subordinate.

"Go back to the Academy. I'll send for you on Sunday, and you better be ready to talk," Isshin decided. Ichigo nodded at his father before stretching his arms, yawning again.

"Sure thing. I'd recommend getting Byakuya and Ukitake-san, if he's feeling up to it. See ya, then." Ichigo began walking to the door when Isshin stood and shunpo'd to his side, seeming surprising Nokoribi. Ichigo kept his face smooth.

"I'll take you back," he explained, leaving no room for argument from his future son or his subordinate.

* * *

><p>"How'd you get yourself in this mess?" Isshin asked Ichigo as soon as the 10th division barracks were out of sight. Ichigo feigned confusion.<p>

"What do you mean?" Isshin narrowed his eyes.

"Don't play stupid. You're too familiar with this. You know everyone, but they don't know you. The shinigami you received powers from has no memory of you. And I'm not an idiot. Kisuke wouldn't teach just anyone."

"Oh, really?"

"I'll say it again, don't play stupid, Strawberry."

And that did it. Only Rukia calls Ichigo 'strawberry', no matter how much he hates it. Midget and Strawberry, strange but accurate pet names.

Isshin found himself on the ground again, looking up at Ichigo's face. Expecting the older man to get angry, Ichigo was startled when he grinned.

"That's what I mean; you know _me._ No one who didn't wouldn't try to land a hit."

"It that why your guard is always down?" Ichigo asked innocently. Isshin laughed again.

"You could say that. But that's not what I'm saying. I want to know how you know me," he said, his tone suddenly getting serious. Ichigo paused, wondering if it was better to tell Isshin the truth now.

**Just do it,** Shiro ordered.

_**It would simplify things if you already had someone to back your story,**_ Zangetsu rationalized. Ichigo sighed to himself, know that this would sound as stupid out loud as it did inside his head. Or mindscape.

"My mother was a living human, my dad was a shinigami. He loved my mom but didn't want Seireitei to get in the way. So he faked his death sometime before I was born." Ichigo paused to see how Isshin was doing. He absorbed the information easily- apparently that sort of thing happened occasionally .

"So?"

"In about nineteen years," Ichigo finished. Isshin stopped before laughing.

"Yeah, good one, kid," he laughed, punching Ichigo 'lightly' in the shoulder. Ichigo scowled. "You serious?"

"Completely."

"... Prove it," Isshin challenged. Ichigo yawned.

"If you say so... Let's see... Tell Byakuya that Hisana's little sister is attending the Academy. That'll get his attention, seeing as he made Hisana a promise to look out for her. At least, he did back in my timeline."

The Academy gates were finally in sight and Ichigo had to catch himself before sighing in relief. Isshin definitely wasn't going to let him go, especially if the firm hand now latched onto his shoulder was any indication.

"How do you know me?" he repeated, his tone still serious but his hand relaxing slightly. Ichigo scowled towards his father.

"My dad," he finally said. Isshin didn't appreciate the vague sounding answer. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly and the pressure returned to Ichigo's shoulder.

Ichigo scowled; just like old times.

"Sunday," he reminded his father, shrugging off the hand on his shoulder and shunpoing the rest of the distance to the Academy, leaving Kurosaki Isshin far behind.

* * *

><p>When Ichigo finally got to his room, he was glad to see that he didn't have to share with a roommate, especially since he was stumbling in at two in the morning. That wouldn't have been a good first impression.<p>

Exhausted, Ichigo almost collapsed onto the bed, his eyes closing as he welcomed the short amount of sleep he could get until morning.

* * *

><p>AN:

Leave a review and you get virtual cookies!

^.^ Susie ^.^


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I am very very tired. But I am updating. *yawn*

I don't own Bleach.

* * *

><p><em>Beep beep beep!<em>

A loud alarm shook Ichigo's thoughts and he smacked the alarm clock into the closest wall, still half-asleep. That solved one problem and created a new one. The good news: it stopped beeping. The bad news: judging from the bits of metal and wires strewn around it, he'd need to get a new alarm clock.

Ichigo got dressed, still half-asleep, and glanced at his schedule, hoping that the Academy's layout made sense. If he got lost, he'd never hear the end of it from Renji and Rukia.

* * *

><p>Still uncertain if he was in the right room, Ichigo walked into the zanjutsu classroom. Like the room in which he took his entrance exam, rows of asauchi were stacked in neat rows below a chalkboard. There were no desks in the room, but chairs lined the back and side walls. The walls were covered in posters, guidelines, and tips to fighting. The center of the room was built up, a slightly raised platform. It was a large sized room; from a glance, about twenty students could spar in pairs at a time.<p>

Most of the students, all of whom had zanpakutos, were already present. They would have looked intimidating to the younger students, but the fifth years, who were just a year from graduation, couldn't hold a prayer to Aizen, Kenpachi, Byakuya, and every other opponent Ichigo had battled over the years.

_I bet Ganju could finish these kids in seconds,_ Ichigo said to his mind's occupants, smirking to the rest of the world. His facial expression, as well as his appearance, was not missed by the other students.

"What the hell is a _first-year_ doing here?" A brown haired boy sneered to Ichigo, getting _way_ too close for Ichigo's comfort. Ichigo resisted the urge to kick him in the stomach and force him back, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to himself before the teacher even showed up.

"I'm just following my schedule. It said I was to report here for the first block," Ichigo said neutrally, holding up his schedule for good measure. The fifth year glared at him, his eyes flicking towards the schedule to see that Ichigo was speaking the truth.

"Fine then," he said, his mouth twisted into a sadistic grin. "I'll enjoy pulverizing you, first-year."

Eventually the teacher, a woman who looked in her mid-twenties, came into the room. She looked more intimidating than her students, just as it should be. Her silver hair was cropped short and spiked outwards, reminding Ichigo vaguely of a very small icy captain that would apparently replace his father as taicho. Her jaw was angular, exaggerating her rounder chin. Her lips were thin and curved into a smirk. She had high cheekbones that cast shallow shadows towards her vivid green eyes. Her eyebrows were her gentlest feature, looking out of place on her predatory face.

A sealed zanpakuto was leaning against her shoulder, held in place by her right hand. A single black tassel fell from the hilt. She tapped it against her shoulder as she stalked into the room, studying each of her students. She wore the standard shihakusho with a gleaming silver wakizashi slung across her back. The black tassel swinging gently from its hilt prompted Ichigo to assume that she wielded dual blades. Something else that surprised Ichigo was the set of knuckle knives secured to her hips. If she, for whatever reason, lost her blades in a battle, they were positioned so that she could simply reach down and draw two more blades.

Even without watching her draw her wakizashi-like zanpakuto, Ichigo surmised that she wouldn't go down without one hell of a fight. This is the type of woman that Zaraki Kenpachi would have been proud of. She was powerful, especially if the concentrated cloud of reiatsu surrounding her was an indicator.

"The name's Yashido Rei," she announced suddenly, her voice almost barking the introduction to her students. "That's Yashido-sensei to you. No, I don't care what your names are. Impress me, then I might bother finding out. Until then, you're going to work your asses off for me. I'm not gonna baby you like the teachers you've had till now. You'll learn, or you'll die. Easy as that."

_She reminds me of Yoruichi,_ Ichigo decided. _Bit more sadistic, maybe..._ He thought as Yashido drop-kicked one of the boys for snickering while she was talking. The boy crumpled, groaning on the floor and Ichigo cracked a smirk.

"Something funny?" Yashido said menacingly, suddenly appearing over Ichigo's shoulder, a dangerous lack of emotion on her face. Ichigo's smirk grew into a smug grin.

"Something's wrong with his schedule, sensei!" A girl with long blue-green hair shouted from the other side of the classroom, pointing her finger at Ichigo accusingly. "He's just a first year!"

"Oh, really?" Yashido said, deep in thought. She snapped her fingers, deciding. "Good. Maybe'll you'll make it to the end of the year!" she said cheerfully, a sadistic light entering her eyes. The boy who had confronted Ichigo about his schedule dropped his jaw in disbelief.

"But, Yashido-sensei, he's just a first year!" the girl protested, shrinking under the woman's green gaze.

"So what? You think four years of Academy curriculum changes things? It sure as hell doesn't. If both of you- hell, this whole class was thrown into the Living World with just an asauchi, I bet he'd outlive all of you.

"Kurosaki," she said, turning to him. He paused slightly at her knowledge of his name. _I impressed her already?_ "Do you have Shikai yet? Lie to me and you'll regret it," she threatened. Ichigo ground his teeth, not doubting her for a moment.

"Yes."

"Good. Get your zanpakuto. Anybody else?" she called loudly. One girl with mousy brown hair streaked with yellow raised her hair. Her long hair was astoundingly curly, the locks falling in ringlets down to her waist, and tied neatly into two pigtails that pulled her hair in front of her shoulders. She looked about eighteen or nineteen, her dark brown eyes dancing with a laughing light. A gentle smile graced her gentle features and she took one step closer to the teacher.

"Got a Shikai?" Yashido asked bluntly. The girl nodded to her teacher.

"Hai sensei," she said, placing her hand on the hilt of her zanpakuto, hanging at her waist.

"You and Kurosaki, get over here," Yashido ordered, stepping into the center of the room. "Everyone else, get back."

The students obeyed, sitting or standing at the walls of the room. Yashido turned back to the two students standing with her on the platform.

"The walls of this room, like most of the practical teaching rooms, are made of sekkiseki, meaning that they block reiatsu from leaking in or out. Show me your Shikai, both of you," she ordered. The girl tensed slightly and Ichigo resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at the woman. _Shikai on the first day? Really?_

"Release the scarred, _Chikai_!" the girl muttered, drawing her zanpakuto. As she did, the metal reddened before disintegrating into a crimson liquid that separated before it circled around her. Yashido balled up a piece of paper before tossing it into the Shikai, knowing better than to sacrifice her arm or something.

The paper had barely made contact with the red droplets that spun lazily through the air when a deep slash appeared in it. Then another. And another. Four seconds after the paper entered the red cloud swirling around the brunette, it fell to the floor in shreds.

"Nice," Yashido compliment, nodding her head. "It's like Kuchiki-taicho's Senbonzakura. Except, instead of red droplets, his zanpakuto separates into slivers of pinkish metal that look like petals. But very nice. Definitely offensive. Gotta name?"

"Chikai, sensei," she said looking down at the red cloud, ending her Shikai. The droplets of red were called back to the hilt in her hand, joining together to make a crimson blade. It flashed in the light once and lightened to silver before she sheathed her blade.

Yashido laughed. It changed her completely. Her harshness dissipated, her voice got higher and more childish. Her smile lost its sadism and her eyes lost their steel.

"Not the sword, _you_," she clarified. The girl's eyes widened slightly and she coughed, obviously a bit embarrassed at the situation.

"Um, Aokawa Kikyo," she answered her teacher. Yashido nodded once.

"Got it. Alright, then. Kurosaki, your turn. Where's your-" She stopped talking when Ichigo closed his eyes briefly, summoning Zangetsu. Like before, his unsealed blade appeared out of thin air, dug into the floor. He pulled it out of the wood and hefted it onto his shoulder.

"Can you seal it?" was Yashido's only question. Ichigo shook his head. "Reiatsu level?"

"Seven."

The room, which had maintain a quiet murmur of side conversations, silenced. Level seven reiatsu was almost unheard of in the Academy. A sixth year could reach it if they trained their asses off and were _extremely_ lucky, but that energy of that level was expected of lieutenants. Of course, when his reiatsu was unsealed and leaking out sporadically, he was off the charts.

Yashido maintained an emotionless mask, her eyes calculating.

"See me after class," she said, leaving no room for discussion. She turned back to the rest of the class. "Alright, pair up and get sparring! Keep it clean, I don't want blood on our pretty floor. Aokawa, Kurosaki, I want you two together."

Kikyo was good with her blade. Her fighting seemed, to Ichigo, more fluid than the other students. He guessed that she knew other shinigami, and had been given some tips. He kept his speed slow so that she didn't have to exhaust herself trying to reach him, but it was obvious to all in the room that Ichigo was more skilled.

After class, Yashido had kept her promise, forcing him to stay after to talk. To his surprise, she actually offered him additional lessons to help seal his zanpakuto. Her reiatsu was as high as Ichigo had assumed. She was somewhere between six and seven, meaning she was perfect to help him, at least in theory.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day went by smoothly. That is, until the last block.<p>

_Kido,_ Ichigo groaned to himself, remembering the lesson which had ended... badly. By the end of the hour, he managed to destroy half of the room, knock two people unconscious, and seriously piss off the instructor.

His poor teacher, a nervous man by the name of Senju Keneshi, didn't even know that you could scratch sekkiseki with a poorly done kido. Now he knows. And has to explain to the headmaster how his newest student managed to blast a hole through his reiatsu-proof wall.

Renji had a laugh out of that. Even John admitted that he had failed spectacularly. Rukia felt the need to rub her success in his face, gushing on about how she managed six of the earlier kido without any trouble on the first try. Kido would always be an area in which Rukia shone.

Ichigo only smiled to himself at the midget.

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you liked it :)

I needs sleeps...

Nuh-night, readers *yawn*

Zzzz Susie ZzZzzzz


	9. POLL RESULTS

Eep... So, instead of JANUARY 22nd, I ended up updating on FEBRUARY 22nd. Better late than never though, right?

AND THE POLL RESULTS ARE IN.

Actually, they've been in for a long time now but I've just left the poll open so if you voted late, don't sweat it. Also, if you messaged me because you had trouble with the poll and told me what story you wanted me to continue, I've already added those in so don't worry about your voice not being heard.

Results: (# of Votes)

Older, Wiser, Stronger (123)

Return of the Kiiroi Kitsune 70)

Another Shot (47)

A Survivor's Tale (37)

Role Reversal (34)

Thicker than Water (24)

Rose Lupin GOF (16)

Rose Evans (16)

Becoming Beloved (14)

Athena's Hearts (11)

In case it wasn't obvious enough, the top three choices are Older, Wiser, Stronger (Bleach), Return of the Kiiroi Kitsune (Naruto), and Another Shot (Avatar: TLA).

Congrats if the story you wanted made the cut, sorry if it didn't. Again, I can't promise any regular updates or anything definite like that but I want you to know that I will be thinking of them and trying to track down whatever elusive plot bunny inspired me to write them in the first place.

Again, sorry about the delay but you all know I'm a mess with deadlines by now.

Until next time,

Sue ^.^


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